Multi-Omics Strategies for Improving Crop Productivity and Quality in Vegetable Crops

Vegetable crops are among the most economically and nutritionally important plant species globally, yet the genetic and molecular complexity of key productivity and quality traits has long limited the pace of their improvement. Advances in functional and applied genomics are changing this: genome-wide association studies, pan-genomics, genomic prediction, and expression and metabolite quantitative trait loci analyses are now providing the resolution needed to identify candidate genes and regulatory networks underlying yield, fruit quality, nutritional content, flavor, shelf life, and disease resistance in major vegetable crop systems, including Solanaceous, cucurbitaceous, leafy, cole, and bulb crops.This Research Topic focuses on the integration of genomics with transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and high-throughput phenotyping as a coordinated strategy for crop improvement, rather than on any single omics discipline in isolation. By anchoring multi-omics analyses in genomic frameworks and directing them toward horticulturally important traits in specific crop systems, the collection targets a distinct space from broader explorations of plant development or functional genomics across general plant systems.We welcome original research articles, reviews, and perspectives on topics including, but not limited to:• Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and transcriptome-wide association studies (TWAS) in vegetable crops• Expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) and metabolite quantitative trait loci (mQTL) mapping• Pan-genomics and comparative genomics of vegetable crop species• Single-cell omics and spatial transcriptomics for trait dissection• Machine learning-assisted multi-omics data integration• Genomic prediction and marker-assisted selection for crop improvement• Functional validation of candidate genes underlying productivity and quality traits• Nutritional and sensory quality improvement through omics-assisted breeding• Yield enhancement and post-harvest shelf life in vegetable crops• Disease resistance and abiotic stress tolerance in Solanaceous, cucurbitaceous, leafy, cole, and bulb crops• Climate resilience and sustainable production in vegetable crop systems.Together, these contributions will provide a dedicated platform for advancing multi-omics-based approaches that accelerate precision breeding and support the development of resilient, high-yielding, and quality-enhanced vegetable varieties. Topic editors: PADMA NIMMAKAYALA, Naresh Ponnam Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/82266/multi-omics-strategies-for-improving-crop-productivity-and-quality-in-vegetable-crops